Max Verstappen out of British Grand Prix after first-lap collision with Lewis Hamilton

The race was suspended with Charles Leclerc in the lead as crews worked to remove Verstappen's car, and the stewards reviewed the incident.

Published : Jul 18, 2021 20:01 IST

Formula One championship leader Max Verstappen crashed out of the British Grand Prix.

Formula One championship leader Max Verstappen crashed out of the British Grand Prix.

Formula One championship leader Max Verstappen crashed out of the British Grand Prix on Sunday after a first-lap collision with reigning champion Lewis Hamilton.

Roared on by a capacity crowd, home driver Hamilton, who started second on the grid, attacked Verstappen from the start.

He made several attempts to overtake and tried to cut inside on Copse corner. As Dutchman Verstappen turned, he hit the front tyre of the Mercedes, and his Red Bull flew across the gravel and into the barriers.

The race was suspended with Charles Leclerc in the lead as crews worked to remove Verstappen's car, and the stewards reviewed the incident.

During the pause in the action, the teams and drivers involved lobbied race organisers and the stewards both in person and on the radio.

Team principals Toto Woolf of Mercedes and Christian Horner of Red Bull both visited the officials' room in the pit lane.

Hamilton pleaded his case in a radio chat with his team.

"I was ahead coming in there," he said. "It was my line. I was giving the guy space."

He was backed up by a call from the Mercedes pit lane to race director Michael Massey.

"I've had a chance to look at that footage. Lewis was significantly alongside on the inside of turn nine."

Horner argued the opposite in a radio call with race director Michael Massey

"That corner, he was never anywhere near alongside," Horner argued.

"Every driver that's driven this circuit knows you do not stick a wheel up the inside at Copse. That's an enormous accident, and it was 100 per cent Max's corner; full blame lays on Hamilton, who should never have been in that position."

"Thank god he's walked away unscathed. I hope you're going to deal with it appropriately," Horner concluded before repeating the sentiment to the TV cameras in the pit lane.

The stewards eventually settled on a 10-second penalty.

Verstappen had won the last three races to build a 33-point lead over seven-time champion Hamilton.

Hamilton was involved in another infamous first-lap crash when he collided with team-mate Nico Rosberg in Barcelona in 2016, wiping out both cars. Rosberg went on to win the title.